


Two Knights and Their Princess

by masked



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Castiel Saves The Day, Dean Winchester Has a Cat Allergy, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-12
Updated: 2016-07-12
Packaged: 2019-09-07 01:27:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16844368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/masked/pseuds/masked
Summary: based on dialogue prompts: “I’ve seen the way you look at me when you think I don’t notice.” and “You’re the only one I trust to do this.”Castiel finds himself in quite a predicament when Dean Winchester bursts into his room and shoves both of them into a closet with a special lady.





	Two Knights and Their Princess

**Author's Note:**

> originally posted on July 12, 2016 [here](http://hamburgergod.tumblr.com/post/147240300888/22-or-24-for-destiel-3).

Heavy breaths. A warm damp body pressed against him. Locked in a limited space.

A tiny meow.

“Shh,” whispers Dean Winchester – the one who dragged him into this mess in the first place - into his jacket.

This is not how Castiel imagined his day to go.

They’re both crammed into Castiel’s closet, of all places, as the residence assistant patrols the floor for room inspection. It’s getting stuffier the longer they’re trying to balance themselves in the tiny closet, and Castiel regrets not having kicked Dean out the moment he burst into his room.

Dean sniffles, and looks up from his jacket, locking eyes with Castiel. “Hey,” he says casually, like dragging people into their own closets is a regular occurrence for him.

Castiel doesn’t ask what Dean is doing or why Dean is doing this. _That’s_ already been answered by the wiggling lump in his jacket, letting out another pitiful mewl. What he wants to know is…

“What are you _doing_ here, with _that_?” Castiel hisses. “And _why_ are we in the closet?”

Dean sniffles again, and blinks widely. “Ugh, sorry, allergy,” he mutters. “And, uh, funny story.”

Castiel glares at him, as much as he can muster up in the dark with Dean close enough for his breath to tickle his cheeks. “Well?”

“Look, can’t I explain this later?” Dean whispers back, his eyes watching between the cracks of the closet door. “We’re kinda in the middle of hiding here.”

“Dean,” Castiel says with as much patience as possible, “either you tell me what’s going on, or I’m dragging both of us _and_ that cat out of here.”

Dean blinks at him curiously, barely masking his surprise. “Huh.”

“What?”

“Nothing. I just…” Dean sniffles again, and looks back out the closet. “Didn’t know you knew my name already.”

Castiel closes his eyes and stops himself from telling him that the entire floor did self-introductions as a group activity just few weeks ago, so of _course_ he knows his name. Because that’s not the point of this conversation.

Dean catches his eyes again, and must see whatever prompts him to say, “Look, I’m sorry you got involved in this, okay? Your room was the closest to me when I saw her patrolling, and I panicked.”

Dean opens his jacket a little then, revealing his partner-in-crime’s tiny face. She’s a tortoiseshell, barely bigger than Castiel’s hand, and she wibbles in Dean’s embrace with a meow.

“I think she’s hurt,” he says with a serious frown, carefully wiping her face. “And it’s raining out, Cas. I couldn’t just leave her there, y’know?”

Castiel blinks in surprise, because, well… He didn’t expect _him_ to know his name, let alone a nickname he seemed to have conveniently assigned him. He didn’t seem the type to remember names, but maybe Castiel isn’t so good at judging people either; what with Dean’s easy smiles thrown at everyone’s ways and his swaggers down the hallway, he definitely didn’t seem the type to rescue injured cats off of the street.

“She’s soaked,” Dean continues, trying to wipe the rest of her body off with his shirt as gently as possible. “She’s going to catch a cold like this. I gotta get out of here.”

The residence assistant’s voice carries through the wall from beside Castiel’s room, and they both stiffen. Dean peeks out the crack, and looks back at Castiel with wide eyes. “Cas, you gotta cover for me.”

“And why should I do that?” Castiel replies incredulously. He’s pissed that Dean thinks he can order him around after barging into his room with a kitten that could get both of them kicked out of the dorm, but he also thinks he’s fighting for the sake of fighting at this point, his logical inner voice already weakening as he stares at the tiny kitten. 

“Oh, c’mon!” Dean whispers. “I’ve seen the way you look at me when you think I don’t notice. Can’t you do me this _one_ favour?”

Castiel tries his best to look indignant instead of flustered at the accusation. He’s not sure he succeeds. “Just because I think you’re attractive, doesn’t mean–”

“Ha! So you _do_ think I’m attractive!”

“Dean,” Castiel says tiredly, “this has nothing to do with the current situation. I don’t–”

There’s an unmistakable knock on the door, and they both jump. ”Castiel?” calls the residence assistance’s voice. “You inside?”

“Cas, _please_ ,” Dean says with wide eyes, and the kitten meows. “You’re the only one I trust to do this.”

Castiel wants to point out that he’s the only one _here_ besides Dean, but time is quickly running out, and any moment the residence assistance could burst in here with both of them stuffed in the closet. Castiel isn’t sure how he’d explain that one away, anyway.

“I’m not doing this for you,” Castiel replies as he starts to shuffle, and Dean’s face brightens the instant the words registers. Begrudgingly, Castiel silently admits that he’s very, very attractive with a genuine smile. “I’m doing this for _her_ ,” he says, pointing at the kitten.

Dean nods quickly, and Castiel is out of the closet and closing it behind him, his brain whirling. He rushes to his bed and hastily messes it up, and rubs his eyes furiously. Tears form, and he wipes them away with force.

There comes another insistent knock, and by the time he opens the door, his eyes are stark red. “Hello, Christina. I apologize for taking so long.”

Christina blinks, and frowns with worry. “Hey, Castiel. You okay?”

“No, I’m…” He coughs pitifully. “Sick.”

“Right,” she says with sympathy. “I’ll try to be quick.”

Castiel gives what he hopes is a weak smile.

She keeps to her words, scanning the room with efficiency as she checks underneath the bed and the corners for anything he shouldn’t possess. She heads towards the closet, and Castiel has a brief panic-induced second before he decides to break out into a coughing fit.

Christina turns away, and rushes to his side as he dramatically collapses to the floor. “Castiel, hey!”

He shakes his head, and wheezes out, “Water, can you–”

“Wait right here,” she says, rushing out of the door already.

Soon after, he hears her in the common room with the tab running, and hisses, “Dean, _go_.”

Dean bursts out as silently as possible, looking both ways in the hallway before he leaves the room without another word. Probably going back to his own room, which is down the opposite side of the direction Christina will be heading towards. Castiel strains his ears to see if there are any confrontations, and sags on the floor with relief when he doesn’t.

Christina hands him the glass of water, checks his closet, and when he refuses her offer to take him to the hospital, she advises he call her if he feels the need to. She gives him a reassuring smile before she heads back out, leaving Castiel and his empty closet.

Castiel closes his door, and tidies his bed. He doesn’t have hopes that Dean will come visit him again since he was probably using him anyway, but he still feels a pang of disappointment when he realizes Dean won’t be coming back to… To thank him, or update him on the kitten, or _anything_.

So much for that. He supposes he should just… be glad that it’s over now.

* * *

Castiel only picked up Benadryl because he was getting food for the night and he was browsing the dorm store’s selections while waiting for his food, and happened to see it.

He thinks about giving it to him face-to-face, but decides against it at the last minute as he puts it in front of the door, knocks, and definitely doesn’t run away.

* * *

There’s a note on the door when Castiel briefly comes back to pick up something for his afternoon class.

_Thanks for the thing. Really helped. She’s doing good, they said she’ll be alright._

Castiel can’t keep the dopey smile off of his face for the rest of his classes.

* * *

Castiel answers the door on the third knock.

Dean gives a small wave with a smile.

“Hello, Dean.”

“Hey, Cas,” he greets, as if he’s not the same person who forcefully shoved Castiel into a closet with him just yesterday. “Mind if I come in?” he asks, peeking into his room above Castiel’s shoulders.

Castiel steps aside for him, and Dean curiously looks over his work on his desk before settling on his chair. Castiel is left standing in the middle of the room, so he opts to sit on the bed.

“Thanks again for the Benadryl,” Dean starts almost sheepishly, scratching the top of his nose. “I had to have laundry day early ‘cause of that critter.” When Castiel frowns in question, Dean gestures to himself. “If I’m anywhere near fur, I _will_ itch. Nose, mouth, throat, you name it.”

“Ah.”

“Yeah.”

“But you still held her yesterday.”

Dean shrugs.

“That’s… admirable of you,” Castiel says, and he means it. Dean flushes, and gives another smile. “I know I was harsh yesterday, and I apologize for that. I guess I just… also panicked.”

Dean chuckles, to Castiel’s surprise. “S’okay. You saved both of our asses in the end. Besides,” Dean looks over at the corner of the ceiling, “I meant it when I said you’re the only one I could trust with her.”

Castiel blinks, and Dean scratches his cheeks. “I, um, saw you trying to pet that black cat the other day. Just behind the dorm.”

“Oh.” Heat rises to his cheeks. He didn’t know anyone was watching his pathetic attempt to coo the cat into approaching him. He supposes anyone could’ve been watching him from the window directly above him, but the thought hadn’t occurred to him at the time.

“Yeah.” Dean fidgets in his seat. “So, uh. Do you want to come to the vet with me tomorrow? To check up on her and stuff.”

“Of course,” he replies quickly. There’s nothing he’d rather do.

“And, do you want to…” Dean’s freckles stand out as he flushes. “I don’t know, go for lunch after or something?”

Castiel stares, and Dean’s fidgeting gets worse. Did… Dean just ask him out on a date?

When Castiel doesn’t answer, too stunned, Dean starts talking again. “’Cause, uh, I figured, y’know, since you think I’m,” he coughs, “attractive, and y’know, the feeling’s mutual.” He licks his lips nervously. “Y’know?”

“Oh. Um.” The room suddenly feels a lot hotter than seconds ago. “Yes, that sounds good.”

Dean grins, and gives a nod. “Okay. Cool. I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

“Cool,” Castiel echoes, as he watches Dean scurry off.

He can’t believe the irony of scoring a date with Dean Winchester by having been shoved into a closet with him.

* * *

It’s too hot of a day to be moving anywhere, but hopefully this will be the last time Castiel has to move anywhere at all. He carries a box upstairs, and almost trips over the tortoiseshell cat purring against his leg. He gives her a disapproving look, though he does set the box down to scratch her behind her ears, if momentarily. They’ve collected so much _stuff_ between two people.

As soon as Castiel opens up his box, he hears Dean downstairs. “Toto, have you see your dad around?” There’s a meow. “Not me, princess. Your other dad.”

Castiel smiles as Tortoise meows again, and hears a grumbled, “Nevermind, you’re no help.” Another meow. “I know, sweetheart. You try so hard and nobody appreciates you.”

There are footsteps, and soon, Dean stands by their bedroom door with his arms crossed. When Castiel quirks an eyebrow his way, Dean grins. “Don’t mind me, just appreciating the view.”

“You could be helping.”

“And what, let that view go to waste?”

“This view can be admired later when there aren’t boxes to be unloaded.”

“Sounds like a promise.”

Castiel responds with a light smack against Dean’s ass on his way out, accompanied by a surprised yelp and the sound of his own laughter.

He finds Tortoise curled up by their new kitchen window. He leans on the counter, and pets her for a while.

“Thank you for bringing him to me,” he says.

She stares at him, and blinks slowly. She curls back up, basking in the sun. Castiel drops a small kiss on the top of her head, and goes back to unpacking for his family’s new home.


End file.
